Ms Miller voted for Nadine Dorries’s amendment to the Health and Social Care Bill on 7 September 2011, which was ultimately defeated by 368 to 118 votes. This amendment would have stopped BPAS and Marie Stopes from providing counselling for women with unwanted pregnancies and allowed ‘independent’ counselling including that provided by faith-based organisations.[2]

Libel Reform

Maria Miller has not signed EDM 423 in support of libel reform.

In a letter to a constituent who urged her to support EDM 423 in support of libel reform she replied:

“I do believe, however, that we must be careful when changing libel law itself. People have the right to challenge defamatory statements and any changes to this law should not risk this principle. I believe that the burden of proof should remain on individuals who make defamatory claims about other people to justify their assertions about others. I do not feel that EDM 423 reflects my view in full and therefore I am not in a position to support it.”

LGBT Rights

On her appointment in September 2012 as Minister for Women and Equalities, some questioned Ms Miller's voting record on gay rights.[3]

Later that month Ms Miller contributed a video supporting the Out4Marriage campaign.[4]

In October 2012 in a speech at the Conservative Party conference, she said:

"Five years ago I stood here and told you that I believed in marriage, and nothing's changed, I still believe in marriage. It's part of the bedrock of our society. The state should not stop two people from making the commitment to be married unless there's a good reason. I don't believe being gay is one of them."[5]